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Rygan’s POV

I should have stayed away.

The first time I tasted Elise’s body, I felt her alluring skin against mine, scented because of my rut. I took it as just my wolf reacting to any female, repeating it like a mantra in my head.

Kyren had forced many females onto me before, so it had to have meant nothing. But it was no mistake the second I took her to bed in that abandoned cabin. Something changed.

Elise felt perfect in my arms; my wolf was hungry and yearned for more of her; and a sinister yet feral part of me was satisfied that I was the one who took her virginity and that I was the only one who tasted her skin and virgin hole first.

But it was all a mistake, it had to be, especially when I woke and remembered the promise that my family made to Alvira’s parents, who helped my father, with a promise to join our house, a betrothal to have Alvira as my future mate.

It left a bitter taste in my mouth, knowing that I had to avoid her. I couldn’t bear the crestfallen look on her face the moment Kaide made it known that Alvira was betrothed to me.

Maybe it was for the best; us having nothing to do with each other would make it easier to drift apart and make it less painful when I reject the bond.

Yet the moment Elise left my study, I had to hold the arm of my chair till the wooden arms groaned, fighting all the will that was in me not to stand up and follow her.NôvelDrama.Org: owner of this content.

She was my enemy’s daughter, and even though she wasn’t Dexton’s blood, she was still a daughter of the Sivernight pack, and that should give me enough reason to hate her.

“Rygan,” Alvira’s voice echoed through my thoughts as I stared at the burning flame of the fireplace before my gaze whirled to her.

She walked up to me, taking a seat on my lap; her hand combed into my scalp; her hands felt like silk but not as soft as Elise’s; not as alluring as Elise; she wasn’t Elise.

Alvira pulled away from me, frowning as she searched my face. “You are thinking about something; you aren’t paying attention to me she snarled. As she caressed my face.

“What happened back at the Darknight Pack’s dungeon with that girl? There is

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something you aren’t telling me, Alpha,” Alvira says, but I pull her from my lap.

“There is nothing to say; she needed my help, and now she is here,” I counter.

“Does she need to live in the moon house? Even though I am not allowed to live here before our mating, why does a stranger get to be close to you? You are mine.” Alvira declares this as she reaches up to kiss me.

I let her soft lips touch mine, taking in her jasmine scent, but it was as soft and sweet as a certain lavender scent that set me on fire-not Elise. My wolf snarls.

I pull away. “I need to rest; I’m still wounded, and it’s still healing. Tell Taz to at least make it to tonight’s dinner and not to the pack’s pub; you can leave.” I tell Alvira, who scowls before she walks out.

Now that I knew I was going crazy, I walked out of the study, pacing to my room, when I passed the chambers that Kaide told me were given to Elise. I forced myself to turn the other way and go back to my room.

My first stop was the large mirror stowed on the wall. I took off my shirt, unwrapping the bandages that were put on my wounds, which needed at least two more days to heal.

That was the problem. I lied to Alvira that I needed to heal, but I felt no pain then, and even now, as I peeled the last layer of the bandage, I was met with no gaping hole at my side, no wound at all; it was healed completely.

“What is now sealed skin. I try to think of what has gone on in that private room to heal me. I recall the moment I woke up and Elise’s hand was wrapped in mine.

the moon’s name?” I mutter, touching the s of the stab wound that was

I sat, spending minutes of my time staring as the sun illuminated her beautiful face. She was nothing like I had ever seen.

Her beautiful freckles dusted her face like sunset, her red wavy locks with silver strands, a strange yet beautiful feature to her body, how anything her icy blue eyes stared at me, it felt like my wolf was on fire.

Moons, I was going crazy. I felt so enamored to see her petite frame sleeping as her delicate, small hands were wrapped around mine. Wait.

“It couldn’t be,” I mutter. Elise was the only one with me throughout the night. What if she was the one who healed me? I could be wrong, but Elise might be ‘gifted’ just like me, but she was a healer type and not telepathic like me.

Or am I just being paranoid? How could I explain what happened back in the forest- how I met those men dead with the most horrid attacks on their skin? It could all be hers.

“Stop thinking about these things, Rygan; stop being so curious about her when you’re trying to create distance; you need rest,” I tell myself.

I told myself that I’d ask her at the dinner instead. I wanted to know what exactly happened at her mating ritual that night.

A few hours later, I walked downstairs for dinner. The smell of savory dishes prepared by the s**s was heavenly, I could hardly get past them, as they all greeted me and were happy to see that I was back.

The news had already spread that I was back in the pack, and I had to be prepared to expect a crowd tomorrow, especially the elders of my pack, who were never happy that I was alpha first and foremost, and I’m sure some of them weren’t happy that I was alive and back.

Alvira takes a seat on my left, and Kaide is on my right. “Sorry, I’m late!” T***’s voice echoed as he pulled his seat out.

“So are we supposed to wait for that little Miss Perfect then?” Alvira says with a wicked venom in her tone that I could sense the tense animosity from her anytime Elise was mentioned.

“She told me carlier that she wasn’t coming, so I sent maids with food for her earlier,” Kaide announced.

“Well, aren’t you a darling?” Alvira says it sarcastically with an eye roll as she digs into her meal. I could feel Ta**’s eyes on me, like he was watching for my reaction, but I showed my usual bored expression.

It was better this way; better we drift off and I’d feel nothing at all for; better that we were nothing with each other, so she feels nothing when I reject the bond with her.

It was better to be apart; that’s what I tell myself throughout dinner, so why the hell am I knocking at Elise’s door right now?